US prosecutors: Megaupload users may have data deleted this week

US prosecutors have said data from users of Megaupload could be deleted this week.

Megapuload.com was shut down by US authorities (Picture: AFP/Getty)

Federal lawyers have blocked access to Megaupload and charged seven men for allegedly facilitating millions of illegal downloads of movies, music and other content on the site.

The company said its millions of users stored their own data which they haven’t been able to access since US government raids earlier in the month.

Megaupload attorney Ira Rothken said the company is working with prosecutors to try to keep the data from being erased and the information of at least 50million Megaupload users is under threat.

He added that not only would the deletion effect customers but it would also hamper the company’s ability to defend itself in the legal case.

‘We’re cautiously optimistic at this point that because the United States, as well as Megaupload, should have a common desire to protect consumers, that this type of agreement will get done,’ he said.

A letter filed by the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia said two data storage companies, Carpathia Hosting and Cogent Communications Group, which are used by the website may begin deleting data by Thursday.

Megaupload hires outside companies to store information for a fee.

Although company is based in Hong Kong, US authorities said they had authority to act because some of its leased servers are in Virginia.